The almost two week long, Hola México Film Festival has a slate of film, shorts and documentary features Mexican cinema & filmmakers featuring a diverse selection of films that including dramas, comedies, documentaries, and horror films.

The opening night film screening on September 12, 2025, will be at The Montalban Theater. Screenings will be held at Regal Cinemas LA LIVE 1000 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015.  The festival will conclude on September 20, 2025, with a closing night screening and a concert at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes in downtown Los Angeles, preceded by an award ceremony recognizing the audience’s choice for Best Film and Best Short Film.

For more information visit https://www.holamexicoff.com

Samuel Douek, the founder and director of HMFF, expressed his excitement for the film festival’s celebration.“After 17 years of Hola Mexico, we feel like we’re just getting started! It’s a joy to work with talented filmmakers to showcase their stories on the big screen. In the current political climate, highlighting the achievements of Mexicans and Latinos is crucial. Immigrants like Iñárritu, Cuarón, and Del Toro show what success looks like! In 2025, we will present an exciting lineup of films that resonate deeply with audiences. We’re thankful to Toyota for their support, which helps amplify our voices. I look forward to seeing everyone at the theaters!”

Each year, the festival takes part in this tradition of the festival poster and prides itself on working with Mexico’s most sought-after graphic designers to create unique and collectible poster art. This year’s poster was designed by Ely Ely.

Ely is a talented illustrator with over 10 years of experience in advertising, editorial, and mural work. Inspired by nature, personal introspection, and Mexico’s vibrant colors, she has collaborated with national and international brands. The design suggests a fantastical figure that represents cinema: a doorway to other worlds. Wrapped in textures that resemble Mexican textiles, this character evokes feelings of wonder, strangeness, and the opportunity to inhabit imagined realities.

The 10-day program provides a platform for these talented individuals offering an immersive professional development experience. Participants will have the opportunity to connect with both esteemed Mexican filmmakers and renowned industry professionals based in the U.S., opening doors and expanding networks crucial for their career advancement. Filmmakers interested in participating in this transformative program are encouraged to apply.

2025 Sponsors of the 17th Annual Hola Mexico Film Festival Presented by Toyota: DCA (Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles), KCRW, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, McDonald’s, Maison Perrier, and presenting sponsor the  Toyota.

Hola Mexico Film Festival presented by Toyota: September 12-20, 2025. Opening Night film announcement coming soon, in the meantime you can purchase your festival passes for the Hola Mexico Film Festival presented by Toyota starting today at https://www.holamexicoff.com/

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Mags (Selina Ringel), is a Mexican-American financial advisor who runs the household and Ash (Ritesh Rajan), an Indian-American, and a great dad who runs a struggling cannabis start-up. The high-power couple seemingly have it all… except happiness.  You, Me & Her is the story of a couple who look to unconventional ways to rekindle their love life.

Leaving the baby with the nanny the two go off on a much needed vacation and a chance to re-kindly the romance they once had.  That’s when two turns into three or at least they are working on it.  They meet Angela, a spiritual digital nomad, who takes a romantic interest in Mags.  Mags is intrigued and starts to question her own sexuality. Suddenly Ash and Mags start to reconnect over the idea of having a threesome, in hopes the sexual experience will save their marriage.

You, Me & Her is a multi-festival winner, most notably taking Best Romantic Comedy at the Los Angeles Film Awards, and Best Feature Film at the Sherman Oaks Film Festival, The New York Film Awards and more recently at the Mexican-American Film & Television Festival.

It is decidedly a favorite of film reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes. Bradley Gibson encapsulates the film perfectly, “…a romantic comedy/sex farce with a bit of introspection around how emotionally healthy adults might act when presented with an option for ethical non-monogamy, then You, Me & Her will be worth your time”.

The director Dan Levy Dagerman does an excellent job of taking the actors through a myriad of emotions. From the opening scene where he sets the stage of the unhappy couple dealing with a new baby, money issues and a seemingly sexless life; to the beautiful vacation beach resort in San Pancho, Mexico where half the film takes place and the audience is set up for a in for quite a ride.

You, Me and Her, also seamlessly and organically dispels the Hollywood stereotype of what a Mexican looks like.  Ringal who not only plays the lead character, but also wrote and produced the film, is a blond haired, hazel eyed beauty, born in Guadalajara, Mexico whose character switches from English to Spanish while in Mexico and when speaking to her Mexican-Indian-American child in the film.  

You, Me and Her is a true delight in so many ways.

Production Company: Irreversible Pictures. Cinematographer: Michael Street Producers:
Anna Campbell | Cameron Fife | Fernando Lebrija | Pablo Lebrija

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Eva Longoria’s recently concluded multi-part travelogue/food CNN series, Searching
for Mexico, introduced millions of viewers who think Mexican cuisine is just beans,
tortillas and the ubiquitous taco, to the spiral galaxy diversity of regional Mexican
delicacies, flavors, and traditions which consist of pre-Columbian indigenous, Spanish
and other European influences and then magically transformed into something distinctly
“Mexican.”

Those of us of Mexican heritage belong to a marvelous hybrid group of people unlike
any other on the planet. In many ways, the iconic Mexican mole is emblematic of
Mexicans and our beautiful culture.

Mole is made from a myriad of varying ingredients (indigenous and imported) that come
together to form a unique, singularly delicious new creation. Similarly, Mexico over the
centuries has welcomed, absorbed, and adapted DNA “ingredients” from people from
Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. The people of Mexico have taken these many
different ingredients from all these cultures, blended them into the greater Mexican
cultural tapestry into a singularly unique, proud Mexican identity, and blessed our tables
with the greatest world-class cuisine.

Eva Longoria’s Searching for Mexico went a long way to open hearts, minds and
palates to that delicious cultural revelation.

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Most non-Latinos think Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day. It’s not. Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Mexican Army’s ass-kicking of the mighty French Army at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 when Emperor Maximilian tried to establish a monarchy in Mexico. No way, José or I should say, Pas question, Pierre.

Mexico bid adios to their Spanish colonial overlords on September 16, 1810. Six years earlier, Haiti, an island nation of black slaves, overthrew their French colonial overlords. What was historically significant in both those revolutions was they were both accomplished by people of color against white Europeans. They didn’t get as much coverage on the Nightly News as the American and French Revolutions. Wonder why?

The Mexican Revolution did catch the attention of the fledgling American nation because now their next-door neighbor was no longer governed by fellow traveler white Europeans, but by brown indigenous peasants and barefoot mestizos. So, like a good neighbor, they declared war on Mexico (Mexican-American War 1846 – 1848) and stole over half their territory. But the USA failed to heed the warning of Oscar Wilde: “When the gods want to punish us, they answer our prayers.”

 The greedy gringos won the war, but we—the Mexicans, the Latinos, the Chicanos, the Mexican Americans and even the Pochos del Otro Lado—we who now dominate the Southwest, California and increasingly are influencing the rest of America and the world, we won the goddam narrative. Here’s how.

ALL HAIL THE UBIQUITOUS TACO
It’s been said the banana and the potato are the “perfect foods.” These are foods you can survive on without other foods. Well, I guess if you are a monkey or Irish that may be true. But consider the taco. The taco is a complete meal encased in corn, flour, wheat or a multi-grain tortilla. As a complete meal, the taco solves the mystery of chopsticks, exposes the knife and fork as unnecessary and renders the bologna sandwich obsolete. The taco can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner. What a taco consists of is only limited by your imagination and what is in your fridge.

In any large American city, there are as many taco trucks on the streets as there are city buses. You can enjoy tacos in Paris, Texas and Paris, France. Legend has it some nice Mexican women made tacos for the defeated French soldiers after the Battle of Puebla. They washed them down with their stuck-up French wine rather than good, ice cold Mexican beer, but c’est la guerre.

YOU’RE IN AMERICA, VATO, SPEAK SPANISH!
Spanish was the first European language spoken in the New World, not English. In some parts of the Occupied Territories along the Tex-Mex border Spanish is the first language of choice. Check out the rosters of Major League Baseball teams and you will find more Spanish surnames than you would in a Havana phone book. 

Millions of people with Spanish surnames can be found in every stratum of America: food production and processing, textile sweatshops, the building trades, home and health care and the military. Maybe it’s time English-speaking America learned a little Spanish so they can communicate with those who feed, clothe, house, take care of and protect us.

LATINO HOLLYWOOD ON THE VERGE
Latinos make up a huge percentage of the film and TV viewing audience. But that number is not reflected in the representation of Latinos on the small and big screens. Unfortunately, too often the stories told are stereotypical depictions of gang bangers, drug cartels and other violent, mindless shoot ‘em ups. There are some bright spots to be sure. Cable TV shows like, One Day at a Time, Selena: The Series, Gentefied and recent theatrical offerings, Walking with Herb and In the Heights are just a few positive examples.

The problem is not a lack of talented Latinos in front and behind the camera. The problem is no Latinos heading up big studios that can greenlight more exemplary stories about our community. But this too shall come to pass.

THE TRANS-PACIFIC CHOLO EFFECT
The cholo tradition of East LA has crossed the Pacific to the Far East country of Japan. Today you can find young Japanese girls dressing and making up themselves like the cholas of Boyle Heights. On the streets of Tokyo, lowrider car clubs can be seen and heard bopping up and down the boulevards in a less than fast and furious fashion to the thumping beat of reggaeton.

DON’T LOOK NOW, AZTLÁN HAS ARRIVED

Do we Chicanos have the legal and primordial rights to the lands annexed by the United States resulting from the Mexican-/American War? I seriously doubt this current US Supreme Court would rule in our favor. But if you look at the undeniable influence through language, culture, cuisine and sheer demographics on those annexed territories and around the world the mythic dream of Aztlán has already been achieved. It’s a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Latino people and el grito heard around the world.

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There’s an expression used in Mexico to point out a great song: “Hey, just listen to that cumbión!”
Although it sometimes carries mock or admiration overtones, cumbia is a folk genre and dance here to stay. Cumbia arrived first in Monterrey, Mexico, along with thousands of migrants looking for a better life.
In the words of anthropologist José Juan Olvera-Gudiño, “Cumbia came with lower-class workers” who settled in “the skirt of Monterrey’s Loma Larga four decades ago.”

They brought a mix of rhythm, aesthetics and cultures. Singer-accordionist Celso Piña, one of the most important musicians in the cumbia genre, pioneered the composition and interpretation of Colombian rhythms, such as the cumbias and vallenatos, in the 1970s.

But the genesis for the music was African slaves and their descendants.

It became popular on the Atlantic coast of Colombia and evolved into multiple types and rhythms in nearby areas. Colombians were not the first to record cumbia. The genre arrived and became successful in Mexico, first recorded in 1940. Having cumbia records marked the beginning of its fame and visibility. The first cumbia song professionally recorded was the Cumbia Cienaguera by Luis Carlos Meyer.
Monterrey’s style of cumbia is similar to Colombia’s. Between 1960 and 1980, Monterrey experienced unplanned growth. Plus, given its proximity to the U.S., its urban music, clothing, food, culture and traditions have been influenced by and influenced America.
Monterrey adopted cumbia as a piece of identity, not just a musical taste.
For years, those who identified with this genre imitated Angelenos’ casual dress code. These people were called “the Colombians.” Monterrey’s “most prestigious” social classes made fun of them, committing open acts of discrimination and classism. But cumbia raised its voice and refused to be silenced.

Cumbia fans developed, diversified and included this rhythm in their parties, with their “sonideros,” or DJs, playing it. Sonideros also embraced ska, reggae, hip hop, and in recent years, reggaeton.
In the 1940s, cumbia expanded, achieving commercial prestige throughout Latin America. It became a popular and indelible cultural mark. By 1980, cumbia was accepted and heard everywhere. Today, one can imagine cumbia enjoying popularity from Canada to Paris.
It’s even left it’s mark on pop culture.
The Mexican movie “Ya No Estoy Aquí” — “I’m No Longer Here,” in English —  tells the story of a gang from the southern part of the country that escapes violence by dancing to cumbia. Another reference is the Cumbia Top 10 Mexico on Spotify. At Mexican parties, such as weddings, quinceañeras, patron saints’ festivals or Christmas, families and friends dance to the rhythm of the “crazy” and traditional cumbiones until the night ends and the sun begins to shine.
(Translated by Gabriela Olmos. Edited by Rafael Prieto and Fern Siegel)

 
 

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Mayans M. C., the epic crime drama tragedy starring J.D. Pardo, Clayton Cardenas, and Edward James Olmos returns for its second season on Tuesday, September 3, 10/9 p.m. central on Fx. 

This season most of the action takes place in Mexico and there is a crossover conflict between the members of the Mayans and The Sons of Anarchy. “If you liked Season 1, Season 2 is a lot darker,” said Olmos, who portrays Felipe Reyes, father of Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes (Pardo) and Angel (Clayton Cardenas) at a 2019 Comic-Con panel discussion.

The season 2 premiere episode picks up six months after the events depicted in the season one finale. The second season will also have a different visual aesthetic from the Latino Biker Gangs’ Southern California Border town of Santo Padre. It also promises to be very violent and bloody as EZ is in pursuit of his mother’s killer. Olmos remarked “Retribution will be coming down hard, and people have to be ready for it.”

Also, there will be the ongoing sibling rivalry between EZ and his brother Angel, the biker gang, along with EZ’s relationship with his high school sweetheart Emily.

Mayans. M.C. also stars Sarah Bolger, Michael Irby, Carla Baratta, Antonio Jaramillo, Richard Cabral, Danny Pino and Emilio Rivera. The show is produced and co- created by Kurt Sutter and Elgin James.

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We all think we know about Frida. But Odalys Nanin’s Frida Stroke of Passion production at Casa 0101 takes you beyond what you know and gives you insight into the last week of Frida’s painful end. When this play was last seen in 2017, it ran for three months. Unfortunately, this production of Macha Theater’s Frida Stroke of Passion at Casa 0101 which runs Friday, Saturdays, and Sundays is all sold out!

Frida Kahlo was a Mexican artist who painted many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Born in 1907 with polio, she was destined to live her life in pain after a traffic accident at age eighteen caused lifelong pain and medical problems. She joined the  Mexican Communist Party, which led to her meeting her future husband and fellow Mexican artist Diego Rivera. She traveled abroad where her art gained international acclaim and picked up more popularity after her death.

There is a lot to love about this production; the constant drama, the pain of both body and soul, and Frida’s love of life moments — all delivered by a talented cast of twelve.

Nanin embodies the spirit of Frida in a nuanced performance and transformational portrayal. Sandra Valls stands out as famous Mexican singer Chavela Vargas, and one of Frida’s lovers.

As Frida’s life comes to an end so does the play with an unforgettable wake and procession that will stay with you long after the play has ended. Chavela is there to honor Frida with accented her beautifully haunting song as the cast of characters in Frida’s live all pay tribute to an icon in the art world, who inspired a nation by representing their culture, while bold examining the issues of identity, postcolonialism, gender, class, and race in Mexican society.

The small procession of Frida’s funeral attended by all her loves, beginning with her “Toad Face” Diego Rivera (Oscar Basulto). Also joining in are Frida’s other lovers Tina Modotti (Mantha Balourdou); Josephine Baker (Ebony Perry); Maria Felix (Marjorie Burgos); Cuban Teresa Proenza (Kesia Elwin); and her Nurse Judith (Tricia Cruz).

But this is hopefully not the end of Frida Stroke of Passion, it must live on in another production! Make sure you catch that one.

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This morning Alfonso Cuaron took the spotlight as his film Roma (loosely based on his childhood) received ten Oscar nominations, inclulding Best Achievement in Directing, the Best Foreign Film and Best Picture nomination.

Known as one of the “three amigo” directors from Mexico, along with Alejandro G. Iñárritu (Birdman) and Guillermo del Toro (Shape of Water 2018) whose movies have each won then an Oscar for directing. However, Cuaron was the first Mexican and Hispanic to win an Academy Award for Best Achievement in Directing. This year, he might very likely add a third Oscar to his mantle for his work in Roma.

Cuaron has personally received five Oscar nominations for Roma; Best Achievement in Directing, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Best Foreign Language Film and Best Picture.  Cuaron ties with legendary filmmakers Warren Beatty and Orson Welles for multiple category nominations for the same film.

Yalitza Aparicio, the unknown school teacher turned actress who portrays the indigenous Oaxacan maid in Roma is the first Indigenous or Native American actress from Mexico nominated for an Oscar and the first Mexican actress to score a nomination in the Best actress category since Salma Hayek for Frida. 

The mother in Roma, Marina de Tavira, a seasoned Mexican actress was nominated as Best Supporting Actress. De Tavira as the Mother had a more difficult role to interpret given sparse dialogue she used exquisite body language to convey in subtle and through a series of gestures and scenes, the turmoil she was going through in her loveless marriage which in turn affected the family dynamics. She did this without the benefit of traditional close-ups).                   

Strong complex portrayals of Latin women from different social strata anchor the film and mirror each other in their strength, vulnerability and interdependency.

The last time a Mexican actress was nominated in the supporting actress category was Adriana Barraza in Inarritu’s Babel in 2006 and before then in 1955 when Katy Jurado was nominated for Broken Lance.

In 1988 Argentine actress Norma Aleandro was nominated for playing a maid in Mexican filmmaker Luis Mandoki’s Gaby: A True Story and in 1961 Puerto Rican actress Rita Moreno won an Oscar as Best Supporting Actress for the classic West Side Story.

Roma also received Oscar nominations for Best Production Design, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing and Best Foreign Language film (Mexico) for a total of ten nominations. It is quite possible that Roma could win not only Best Foreign Language film but also the Best Picture category as well.  Roma marks a milestone in Oscar history in that for the past five years Mexican born filmmakers have dominated the Oscars in major categories.

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